Archives: News

In 1992, US Congress appointed May as National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in remembrance of the month during which the first Japanese immigrants arrived …

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) Seattle Chapter calls on private and public foundations in Seattle and across the region to stand in solidarity with the Wing Luke Museum and commit to …

After celebrating 30 years alongside Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) last year, AAPIP partnered with Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and New Breath Foundation to host the 2023 Annual Meeting …

In partnership with Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and New Breath Foundation, AAPIP brought more than 150 philanthropic professionals to Angel Island to provide a series of immersive workshops focused …

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) and the undersigned AANHPI philanthropic leaders stand united in our commitment to racial solidarity and educational equity in the wake of the Supreme Court’s …

This is a featured member contribution by Kyson Bunthuwong. As a kid, I grew up eating khao niew ma muang (mango sticky rice). I took it for granted as a …

By Shariq Siddiqui, JD, PhD Dr. Shariq Siddiqui is Assistant Professor of Philanthropic Studies and Director of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University–Purdue University …

Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native American relatives and relations in the philanthropy field gathered in Seattle, WA, June 26-29, 2022, for the Power in Solidarity conference to celebrate the …

Webinar Summary: AAPI Innovation and Community Health  By: Vivian Gee, Sanem Alkan, Jean Lu, Anjana Sundaram On June 14th, AAPIP, Cambridge Associates and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, co-hosted a webinar …

On May 24th, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) hosted a webinar conversation, “We are Detroit. We are Vincent Chin: An American Legacy” with special guest Helen Zia, author, activist, and …

  On June 2nd, AAPIP, Proteus Fund and The Asian American Foundation sponsored a webinar called, “Sikh Civics: Philanthropy’s Role in Building A Multiracial Society.” The conversation was so timely …

 

On June 2nd, AAPIP, Proteus Fund and The Asian American Foundation sponsored a webinar called, “Sikh Civics: Philanthropy’s Role in Building A Multiracial Society.” The conversation was so timely in …

Written by Karen L. Ishizuka, Ph.D., President of Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation In 1942, Los Angeles mayor Fletcher Bowron called my uncle – Kiyoshi Patrick Okura – “the most …

“I watched the generation that was silenced and then I watch a new generation coming up now that is fearless.”                     …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE While details are still forthcoming on last night’s shootings in Atlanta, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) unequivocally condemns the ongoing and intensifying violence directed at Asian …

By Vivian Gee, Lijun He, Anjana Sundaram On March 2nd, 2021, Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) hosted a webinar exploring the philanthropic motivations and approaches in the practice …

The recent spate of senseless violence against Asian American seniors in the Bay Area wearily reminds us that the re-surfacing of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic last year remains intact. …

Watching a nationally coordinated mob of white supremacists violently storm the Capitol just days into 2021 hardly warrants a cheery “Happy New Year!”. This event shocked but did not surprise …

Dear AAPIP Community, As we close out 2020 and welcome 2021, we are so grateful to you for being part of the AAPIP community in this most challenging year. Whether …

November is considered Native American Heritage Month, although like other such designations, it is important to recognize and honor the indigenous peoples on whose land this country called the United …

Written by AAPIP CEO and President, Pat Eng September marks my one-year anniversary as President and CEO of AAPIP, and it surely has been a memorable one. The first six …

AAPIP, in partnership with AAPI Data, released an exciting report on the state of philanthropy among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. This webinar outlines key findings and recommendations of the …

AAPIP is excited to release a new infographic, in collaboration with CHANGE Philanthropy, that draws on the findings of the 2018 Diversity Among Philanthropic Professionals (DAPP) Survey to explore Asian …

As AAPI CEOs, Executive Directors, and Trustees in philanthropy, we stand together with our Black colleagues and other allies to commit to the hard but necessary work of peeling back …

In a Unique Pride Month, What Does Funding For LGBTQ AAPI People Look Like? By: Lyle Matthew Kan, Vice President of Research & Communications, Funders for LGBTQ Issues I have …

This Juneteenth, I remember the powerful piece written by Nikole Hannah-Jones last year when she spearheaded the 1619 Project at the New York Times, “I had been taught, in school, …

The start of this new decade has indeed been one for the history books in so many ways, and it has only just begun. In recognition of this movement moment around …

At AAPIP, we are devastated by the news of Mr. George Floyd’s death and the weight of yet another Black life senselessly taken by excessive and lethal force, this time, …

AAPIP Chicago hosted a series of webinars during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month to explore issues related to COVID-19 affecting our communities. This session discussed the increase in anti-Asian racism …

In its earliest days, AAPI philanthropy in the U.S. existed largely in the form of mutual aid to survive in a country that legislated its hostility through an “unwelcome” mat …

Hey Philanthrofolks, It’s Friday and a brand new month! May is Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month and since it’s been such a difficult many weeks, we wanted to do …

For 30 years now, AAPIP has been the home for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to build community in the field of philanthropy. We have also played an instrumental role …

This joint statement was included as part of an article ” Asian American Grant Makers Call on Philanthropy to End Violence and Bias on the Rise as Coronavirus Spreads”  published in …

Dear Philanthrofolk,

As the news surrounding COVID-19, or “coronavirus”, continues to flood the web and our screens, our sector springs into action to protect the safety and well-being of our employees, colleagues, and grantee partners. Philanthropy is asking important questions…

“The fate of each minority depends upon the extent of justice given all other groups.” – Ina Sugihara, 1945 It is Black History Month, a wonderful moment as a country to …

View the recording and slides for the illuminating discussion on 2020 Census efforts and gaps in AAPI communities led by Karthick Ramakrishnan, Founder and Director of AAPI Data, Karen Narasaki, consultant to the Bauman Foundation, and Christine Chen, Founder and Director of APIA Vote!

Dear Colleagues,

On September 3rd, 2019, I had the tremendous honor of becoming President and CEO of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP). I am deeply grateful to follow a distinguished line of AAPIP’s leaders on whose shoulders I now stand, determined to leverage the legacies gifted to us by many generations of leaders across movements that have led the arc toward justice. I take on this role, inspired by the extended AAPIP community past, present, and future, ready and eager to roll up our collective sleeves, together with our many allies, at this very moment in time…

In the short time that I have been involved with AAPIP, I have seen some bright and dark spots in this country’s philanthropic sector. The field of philanthropy has made strides toward advancing racial equity thanks to the tireless work of many, especially womxn of color and allies. As we all look to the future, which is ours to shape, I’d like to consider the 2020s as the final decade the philanthropic sector subscribes to stereotypes of any racialized group, and specifically, to unsubscribe from harmful “model minority” narratives imposed on Asians…

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Patricia Eng as the organization’s President and CEO. Eng, who is currently the Chief Service Officer of …

  By: Jon Jee Schill, AAPIP-Minnesota Chapter Co-Chair A few years ago, a friend and I applied for a grant from A Large Anonymous Foundation (ALAF) for the small nonprofit …

By: Amirah Fauzi, Program Associate, Pillars Fund On August 12, 2016, after years of standing at the edge of his property and shouting at his neighbors, calling them “dirty Arabs,” …

Webinar Recap The Public Charge Policy: AAPI Immigrant Families at Risk    Click to access the webinar recording and slides   On August 9, AAPIP partnered with APIAHF on a webinar on the …

AAPIP recently interviewed Lina Park, Executive Director of Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco (KACF-SF). KACF-SF is an AAPIP Institutional Member located in the San Francisco Bay Area.  What …

 By: Crystal Li, Associate, Living Cities I’m an ABC – American Born Chinese – born and raised in Chinatown, NYC. My friends growing up from elementary school to college were …

By: Rosie Abriam, Co-Chair, AAPIP-Metro DC Chapter; COO, The Leader Project (HI/DC) Photos courtesy of Kathy Mouacheupao, Co-Chair, AAPIP-Minnesota Chapter; Executive Director, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council  Community Redevelopment and Philanthropy …

Below is the transcript of the President’s Message at the AAPIP 2018 National Network Convening & Annual Meeting, presented by AAPIP President & CEO Cora Mirikitani In June of 2016, …

By: Kiran Ahuja, CEO, Philanthropy Northwest Below is the transcript of the keynote speech at the AAPIP 2018 National Network Convening, presented by Kiran Ahuja, CEO of Philanthropy Northwest. Immediately …

By: Richard Woo, CEO, The Russell Family Foundation It’s been nearly 30 years since AAPIP was founded and held its first organizational gathering in San Francisco among several handfuls of …

By: Shiho Fuyuki, Joneil Sampana, Anjana Sundaram, Jon Wu Happy New Year, everyone! As we begin the new year, we wanted to recap some of the recent events that the …

Dear AAPIP Community: With the end of 2017 fast approaching, I’ve been reflecting on what a hectic year it has been in the new political landscape, and how thankful I …

AAPIP is shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Mayor Ed Lee. We send our condolences to his family and the community of San Francisco.  Shortly after becoming the …

Ryan Chao is Vice President for Civic Sites and Community Change, at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where he oversees the foundation’s place-based investments. Ryan leverages his experience in housing and …

Alex Wong has served as AAPIP’s Community Philanthropy Manager since 2012. At the end of 2017, upon the successful completion of our 5-Year National Giving Circle Campaign, Alex will be departing …

By: Hanh Le (Executive Director, Weissberg Foundation; Co-Chair, AAPIP Metro-DC Chapter) and Rosie Abriam (Co-Chair, AAPIP Metro-DC Chapter) Conversations about race are not new to our country and our communities. …

By Nancy Chan, Director of Community Partnerships, Catalyte.io; AAPIP San Francisco Chapter Steering Committee member The Northern California Grantmakers’ Peninsula Philanthropy Network and AAPIP recently co-sponsored an animated panel discussion …

AAPIP recently welcomed Headwaters Foundation for Justice as an Institutional Member. We spoke with Program Officer Allison Johnson Heist, who shared about the foundation’s New Majority Fund and The Giving …

By Stephen Gong, Executive Director, Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) In September, I participated in the Storytelling for Change panel at the CHANGE Philanthropy 2017 UNITY Summit in New …

At the 2017 Unity Summit, some session presenters shared resources featuring new research on racial equity in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. Here are resources from some conference sessions. 1. …

By Wing Li, Senior Manager for Operations, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations I’ll be honest – when I entered the philanthropic sector, it was hard to see my path. My work …

By Jennifer Choi, Vice President and Chief Content Officer, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) On Tuesday, September 19, 2017, I presented on a panel that was curated in partnership …

By Chao Yang, Community and Employee Engagement Specialist at Medtronic Foundation/Minnesota Council on Foundations Ron McKinley Fellow (Disclaimer: All viewpoints presented in this blog are my own and are not reflective …

AAPIP joins with many who were stunned by the announcement on Tuesday by Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the Trump Administration is terminating the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) …

Webinar recording Slides available for download The Bay Area Justice Funders Network presents: Deepening Practices Towards Greater Equity Original air date: 8/24/17 Description: What values, core competencies, and practices can deepen …

“The only way to survive is by taking care of one another.”     –Grace Lee Boggs (1915-2015)   Community activist and writer. Born in Rhode Island to Chinese immigrants. Worked …

by Christen Lee  In May, AAPIP members and allies from around the country gathered to connect, share, and learn about how and why funders, donors, and community groups are leveraging …

Below is the transcript of the president’s message at the 2017 National Network Convening and Annual Meeting.  In May 2015, AAPIP celebrated its 25th anniversary year and I was privileged …

The opening plenary at AAPIP’s 2017 National Network Convening and Annual Meeting: “Elevating AAPI Philanthropy: Leaders. Knowledge. Impact.” featured historian Jean-Paul deGuzman of the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. …

This blog was originally posted on the NEO Law Group website on May 20, 2017 by Gene Takagi. It was an honor to participate at the Asian Americans-Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy …

AAPIP, along with more than 30 foundations, have signed on to a statement in support of immigrants and refugees. Original Ssatement posted at Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees. The United States …

This message was originally sent out via the AAPIP mailing list on Tuesday, November 29, 2016, which coincided with 2016’s #GivingTuesday. Dear AAPIP Friends, Family, and Colleagues, As we begin …

AAPIP believes that philanthropy has a responsibility and role in fostering a thriving civil society by meeting urgent needs and investing in our collective future. As part of a rapidly changing philanthropic landscape, philanthropists of giving circles are contributing to the increasing and enduring investment in AAPI communities and issues. Sara Tian, co-chair of Saffron Circle’s grantmaking committee, shares her story.

Meet our new co-chairs from the New York, Seattle-Puget Sound, and Metro DC Chapters!

AAPIP believes that philanthropy has a responsibility and role in fostering a thriving civil society by meeting urgent needs and investing in our collective future. As part of a rapidly changing philanthropic landscape, philanthropists of giving circles are contributing to the increasing and enduring investment in AAPI communities and issues. Caren K. Lock of the Orchid Giving Circle in Dallas, TX, shares her story.

Jennifer Choi is journalism program officer of the Democracy Program of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Co-Chair of AAPIP’s Chicago chapter, and a member of the Asian Giving Circle.

Debra Fong is executive director of the Asian Pacific Community Fund, and an AAPIP Chapter Co-Chair for the Los Angeles Chapter.

Meet our new Chapter Co-Chairs from Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minnesota!

Mary Keovisai is a member of Lacuna Giving Circle, Ph.D. student, and sleep aficionado.

Dr. Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter is the founding visionary behind Roshni, Lost Sarees National Women’s Giving Circle and serves as the National Founding Chair.

Hanh Le is Executive Director of the Weissberg Foundation, Co-Chair of AAPIP’s Metro DC chapter, and a member of the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle.

Athan Lindsay is a Development Officer with the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro based in Greensboro, NC.

Rosie Abriam is a Metro DC Chapter co-chair, and President/CEO for the Center for Asian Pacific American Women.

Huong Nguyen-Yap is the Membership Program Manager at AAPIP.

by Alice Y. Hom

By Crystal Jang, founding member of Red Envelope Giving Circle

Noelle Ito is the Vice President of Programs at AAPIP.

Roger Hua is a Credit Manager at Toyota Financial Services and a member of Philanthropists in Asian American Communities (PAAC) Giving Circle.

Pamela Hung is a member of the Saffron Circle.

Janet Uradomo is a member of the API LGBTQ Dream Team.

Kelly D. Chau, Ph.D. is the Director of Wellness Services at Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI). She is involved in the development and management of community-based programs that integrate research, health and wellness, addiction recovery services, and behavioral health services to promote healthy independence, healthy lifestyle, enhance functioning and safety from a culturally competent and respectful perspective.

Dr. Paul Y. Watanabe is currently Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He was recently appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Kayva Yang brings 15 years of experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector working to ensure communities thrive with resources, support and a platform for their voices and efforts. She believes in the power of listening and leading authentically to move hearts and minds of whole communities working for social change.

Raj Jayadev is the founder and director of Silicon Valley De-Bug, a media, community organizing, and social entrepreneurial collective based in San Jose, CA.

Elaine Abelaye-Mateo is the Principal for Everyday Impact Consulting, whose mission is to build meaningful relationships to create social good. Vince is vice president for University Advancement at California State University, Sacramento. They are both founding members of the APIs RISE Giving Circle.

Poonam Kapoor believes LGBTQ rights are human rights and has been a member of the Red Envelope Giving Circle (REGC) for three years strong.

Anjana Sundaram is a Data Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Shiho Fuyuki is the Member Services Manager, Mission Investors Exchange. They are AAPIP Seattle’s chapter co-chairs.

Karthick Ramakrishnan is professor of public policy and political science at the University of California, Riverside. He also directs the National Asian American Survey and is founder of AAPIdata.com, which seeks to make policy-relevant data on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders more accessible to a variety of audiences.

Jirayut “New” Latthivongskorn is co-founder of Pre-Health Dreamers and currently a medical student at UCSF School of Medicine.

Rosie is the President/CEO for The Center for Asian Pacific American Women, which provides opportunities for women and AAPI communities.

Joy Messinger is a facilitator, sought-after speaker and educator, and independent nonprofit consultant with graduate degrees in social work and public health and a background in sexuality education, youth development, reproductive justice, adoptee issues, and LGBTQ and Asian American community building.

Romana is responsible for leading the grantmaking initiatives of WOMEN’S WAY, including overseeing the Community Women’s Fund and WOMEN’S WAY Action Partners portfolios, as well as managing a technical assistance program for funded agencies.

Thai Ha-Ngoc is the Program Associate the the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and is the Grantmaking Co-Chair and member of the Steering Committee for Saffron Circle giving circle.

Surina Khan is the CEO of the Women’s Foundation of California.

Luna is co-founder and Executive Director of Adhikaar in New York City.

Frank Liu is co-founder of The Dinner Guys giving circle in New York City.

Roselma Samala is Program Officer at The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation.

Dana Kawaoka-Chen serves as the Network Director for the Bay Area Justice Funders Network. She is the network’s inaugural and sole staff liaison to the five-person steering committee, which provides the strategic direction for the network.

Neville K. Vakharia is Assistant Professor and Research Director in Drexel’s renowned graduate arts administration program, and co-chair of the Asian Mosaic Fund Giving Circle.

Serena L. Moy is the Administrator at the Blowitz-Ridgeway Foundation located in Schaumburg, Illinois, and is one of the co-founders of Asian Giving Circle in Chicago.

Surjeet Ahluwalia is the Executive Director of Asian American LEAD.

Kaohly Her shares her family’s commitment to social justice and philanthropy, and how instilling these values in her children gives them the foundation to do meaningful work.

by Cynthia Choi, Vice President, Philanthropic Partnerships

by Noelle Ito, Vice President, Programs

Taylor and Ayden Her are sisters and members of the Building More Philanthropy with Purpose (BMPP) giving circle in Minnesota.

Sharon Maeda is the founder of the Youth Media Institute and is currently a Trustee of the Harborview Medical Center, Public Radio Satellite Trust and the Seattle Immigrant & Refugee Voting Rights Task Force.

Rajasvini Bhansali is the Executive Director of International Development Exchange (IDEX) and a passionate advocate for participatory grassroots-led social change and movement building.

Dae Joong “DJ” Yoon is the current Executive Director of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and president of the Korean Resource Center, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Strategic Concept in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE)

By Noelle Ito, Senior Director of Communty Philanthropy In 2003, AAPIP began developing and supporting Giving Circles in the AANHPI community and soon after, launched a National Giving Circle Campaign …

By Alice Y. Hom, Director of the Queer Justice Fund. LGBTQ POC leaders photo by Tiph Browne. I am proud to raise my voice here in this day as black, …

This piece was co-authored by Lyle Matthew Kan, Director of Research and Communications at Funders for LGBTQ Issues, and Dr. Alice Y. Hom, Director of the Queer Justice Fund at AAPIP. The article was originally posted on the Huffington Post on April 25, 2015.

Christen Lee is program manager at Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, deputy director of Asian Immigrant Women Advocates, and one of our San Francisco chapter co-chairs.This article was cross-posted on NCRP’s …

Our hearts go out to those who were struck by the earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday, April 25. During times like these, it is difficult to stand aside and watch relief aid swoop into action. While our organizational priorities focus on what occurs within API communities in the United States, we acknowledge that various streams of movement – be it communication or people – make our world feel smaller. We also know that many Nepalese Americans have family in Nepal, and are working to help them from abroad. We stand with our Nepalese brothers and sisters, and want to extend our help in any way possible.

Please read this statement issued by our partner Funders for LGBTQ Issues on 4/2/15.    INDIANA & ANTI-LGBT DISCRIMINATION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR FOUNDATIONS? Written by Ben Francisco Maulbeck This …

Gerlie Collado is the Arts Program Associate with The James Irvine Foundation and a member of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Islander Giving Circle.After attending the National Giving Circle Campaign …

From youths to retirees, nonprofit staff to corporate staff, over 90 dreamers and doers from across the country, including Irvine, CA, St. Paul, MN, and Columbia, S.C., came together in Oakland for …

Michelle Gollapalli is the Vice President of Development of Kennedy Health System, Executive Director of the Kennedy Health Care Foundation, and member of Asian Mosaic Fund. AAPIP’s National Convenings are always inspirational. …

Cynthia Brothers is an independant consultant and a member of Kibei Giving Circle. This past weekend I had the opportunity to join AAPIP Giving Circle members from all across the …

Check out the Giving Circle’s contribution to Indie Philanthropy. Originally posted on 10/15/2014.  Giving Back, Giving Together Tell us about AAPIP’s Giving Circle Campaign. The Giving Circle Campaign seeks to increase …

After over four years at AAPIP, Laila Mehta has stepped down as the director of the Civic Engagement Fund. AAPIP will continue its commitment to AMEMSA communities as part of its advocacy efforts for increased investments in under-resourced communities.

Change is in the air! With great enthusiasm, we announce two new Co-Chairs. After 3.5 years of service, AAPIP Chicago Chapter Co-Chair Shilpa Bavikatte has passed the baton to Kashif …

The recent fatal shooting of unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown by police officers and the ongoing militarized response serves as a wake up call for all of us. Communities …

In recent months, Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington football team, established the “Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.” Snyder has said he recognizes the tremendous inequities faced by Native American …

Tracy Nguyen is the Community Organizer for API Equality – Northern California and a volunteer for Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Women and Trans Community (APIQWTC).  Generation Q, a project of …

Romana Lee-Akiyama is the Director of Grantmaking and Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives at WOMEN’S WAY. WOMEN’S WAY is a powerful voice for women and girls, seeking to create an equitable, …

Sharing the best practices and lessons-learned arising out of our National Giving Circle Campaign: Flash Giving At the 2013 National Giving Circle Convening in Chicago, AAPIP experimented with a “flash …

Vega Subramaniam is a member of the AAPIP-DC chapter and a founding steering committee member of Rainbow Dragon Fund, an AAPIP giving circle that aims to increase social justice philanthropy supporting …

Nicole Kyauk, (CAP®), is a Philanthropic Advisor at the East Bay Community Foundation and Co-Chair of the San Francisco Bay Area AAPIP Chapter. I had the privilege to represent the …

Dana Kawaoka-Chen is the Network Director for the Bay Area Justice Funders Network.  She is an active member of the AAPIP-SV chapter and LOTUS Giving Circle. Peggy Saika, AAPIP’s President & Executive Director opened …

Andy Ho serves on the Steering Committee for the AAPIP metro DC chapter, and is co-founder and member of the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle in Washington, DC. Follow him on Twitter @andyho.  The …

Anjana Sundaram is a co-chair of the Seattle Puget Sound Chapter of the Asian Americans Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), along with Elisa Del Rosario and Shiho Fuyuki. She is a research analyst at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she is actively involved with Gates Asians in Philanthropy (GAP). Views are her own.

Christen Lee is Western Regional Coordinator for Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and Advisor with Kordant Philanthropy Advisors. She is co-chair of AAPIP’s San Francisco Bay Area chapter. I joined AAPIP …

At today’s annual membership meeting, Peggy announced her plans to step down as President and Executive Director of AAPIP at the end of 2014.  Having led the organization for twelve …

Each individual has an obligation to help the next generation of young people, to help guide them, to help point them in the right direction, and to help inspire them …

With the upcoming annual meeting in New York, here’s a small taste of the larger universe of what’s happening in and around the Big Apple.

I can’t believe six years have gone by so fast. I can still remember receiving the call from Danielle Reyes gauging my interest in being nominated to AAPIP national board. …

By leveraging individual action for collective good, the love of humanity that AAPIP’s National Giving Circle members express is precisely what defines “philanthropy”. Through their caring, giving, and volunteering Giving …

The Civic Engagement Fund builds community and organizational connections.


Reflections on CEF’s final convening and what this moment marks from 3 participants: Laila Mehta, Raeshma Rizvi, Sabiha Basrai.

We invite our members, supporters, and key allies to join us for two milestone gatherings in 2014:


Annual Membership Meeting – Ford Foundation, April 25
JAG 20th Anniversary UNITY Summit – Washington DC, June 6-8

We asked Peggy Saika, President & Executive Director of AAPIP, to share more about these momentous events.

“What if those of us in the 99 percent contributed even just one percent of our assets and pooled them to underrepresented causes locally?” asks Nisha Patel, Co-Founder of MASALA Giving Circle. …

To celebrate the impact of our growing National Giving Circle Network, our Facebook page featured photos and stories from our 31 Circles for 31 consecutive days. We challenged our Circles …

To celebrate the impact of our growing National Giving Circle Network, our Facebook page featured photos and stories from our 31 Circles for 31 consecutive days. We challenged our Circles to accumulate the …

To celebrate the impact of our growing National Giving Circle Network, our Facebook page featured photos and stories from our 31 Circles for 31 consecutive days. We challenged our Circles to accumulate the …

Maya Okamoto is a founding member of Changing Our Community, a Los Angeles-based youth giving circle. She is kind enough to share with us her experience attending AAPIP’s National Giving Circle Convening with several of her fellow giving circle members on September 20 and 21 in Chicago.

Bo Thao-Urabe, Senior Director of Capacity Building and Organizational Learning(Header photo: Photo from AAPIP-MN Chapter Luncheon; Body photo: MayKao Hang, President and CEO of Amherst H. Wilder Foundation) Since AAPIP first reported the …

N. Nina Ahmad is an AAPIP Board Member and The Philadelphia Foundation Trustee, Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs, founder and advisory committee member of the Asian Mosaic Fund.

We recently talked with her about the community and philanthropic landscape in Philadelphia.

Serena Moy, Co-founder, Asian Giving Circle, Chicago

What an amazing evening! Over 120 people came to Chicago to help the Asian Giving Circle celebrate its 10th Anniversary! I am so proud to be part of this national giving circle movement. Ten years ago we could never have imagined our local efforts would spark a movement of 31 Giving Circles that have collectively given over $1.4 million to over 240 AAPI organizations!

Ben de Guzman, Co-Director of NQAPIA


When congratulated by supporters of marriage equality in the offices of the Senators we visited, we politely said thank you, and gracefully moved the conversation back to immigration. In doing so, we prove the movement can (and must) walk and chew gum at the same time.

Alex Wong, Community Philanthropy Manager


In celebration of the Asian Giving Circle’s 10th Anniversary, we feature an excerpt from an interview with Janice Atkins Washington, Coordinator of Donor Services, and Bob Eichinger, Director of Donor Services, of The Chicago Community Trust, the fiscal host of the Asian Giving Circle.

Charles Sanchez, Dream Summer Intern


AAPIP partnered with the UCLA Labor Center to provide a unique space for undocumented young adults and allies to build relationships, develop professional skills, and amplify the voices of the API community for fair and just immigration policies. Through AAPIP’s work, the amount of API interns in the program more than tripled!

Cynthia Choi, Deputy Director

Irene Hirano Inouye always knew she wanted to dedicate her life to public service and to ensure the needs of diverse communities are met. As she puts it, “I came of age during a time when I was trying to understand my own family’s story of being incarcerated during WWII.

Laila Mehta, Director, Civic Engagement Fund

In July, I had the privilege of attending the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance’s (NQAPIA) leadership summit for leaders of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations.

As part of the packet we’re  handing out to participants of the NAP/AAPIP site session in Colorado, here is a short listing of informational links ompiled by staff to help provide context …

We’ve invited Penelope “Penny” Haru Snipper, founding member of AAPIP’s Minnesota Chapter, to share her personal experiences as a participant on our recent Native Americans in Philanthropy & AAPIP joint site session to the Amache Internment Center and the Sand Creek Massacre Site in Colorado.

At AAPIP’s recent site session to the Amache Internment Camp and the Sand Creek Massacre Site in Colorado, we drew many poignant lessons from linking the experiences of Japanese Americans displaced and interned during World War II and the history of struggle in Native American communities, past and present.

Alice Ito, one of our new Board Members and a long-time AAPIP chapter member, was asked to deliver plenary remarks at the Native Philanthropy Institute on April 24th prior to our site session.

AAPIP would like to thank all the participants at our recent session at the Here and Now Symposium in Washington DC. We are excited by the level of engagement and dialogue sparked by our presentation, “Growing Opportunities, Enduring Challenges: Data, Trends and Progress in Philanthropic Investment to AAPI Communities”.

42 people. 13 giving circles. 2 days. 1 historic gathering. On July 16 and 17, AAPIP hosted a National Giving Circle Strategy Session at our new offices in San Francisco, …

Andy Ho, Co-Chair of the AAPIP Metro DC chapter, and co-founder of the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle


Andy shares his perspectives on the convening — as both a participant and as a key individual in helping to shape AAPIP’s early strategies in the growing giving circle movement.

Emmett Carson, CEO/President of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, shares observations and thoughts about AAPIP’s twenty years of advocacy for communities and within the field of philanthropy.

AAPIP President/Executive Director, Peggy Saika, reflects on AAPIP’s 20 years and how together we can all be part of building democratic philanthropy for a more just and equitable world.

We’re pleased to have a fresh voice on our blog with a post from Joshua Fisher, AAPIP Administrative & Program Support, about his experience and insights from the AAPI Boys and Young Men of Color convening held in December 2010.

New from AAPIP’s National Gender and Equity Campaign, a guest blog written by Barbara Phillips. She shares her personal reflections and observations about gender in the social justice movement as a participant and guest at a recent NGEC Organizational Fellowship Program convenings.

Our latest post is from Cynthia Choi, Senior Director of Philanthropic Advocacy summarizing AAPIP’s learnings from grassroots organizations and community leaders in the Gulf Coast about the current conditions, ongoing needs, and issues of AAPI communities in this impacted region.

AAPIP would like to take this opportunity to thank Danielle M. Reyes, our outgoing AAPIP Board Chairperson for her years of service. We know she’ll continue to play an integral role through the AAPIP Metro D.C. Chapter and the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle (both of which she was a founder). Check out the link below to the guest blog she wrote for Philanthropy411 that highlighted yesterday’s AAPIP Annual Membership Meeting in Philadelphia and describes AAPIP’s vision for “Building Democratic Philanthropy”

This video includes the formal meeting activities geared toward AAPIP members, and also includes  presentations from each of the 10 AAPIP chapters across the nation about their regional activities. AAPIP – Annual …

This is the Part 2 recording of the Live Webcast filmed on April 10, 2011 at the AAPIP Annual Membership Meeting and Community Program in Philadelphia.

This video covers the panel discussion with guests from Philadelphia area foundations and giving circles.

On April 25, Kelvin Vuong, outgoing VIET Fellows Program Director, appeared on City Visions Radio as part of a program focused on the enduring legacy of Agent Orange/Dioxin contamination in …

We are pleased to welcome Tony Luong as the new US Program Manager of the VIET Fellows Program. He joins AAPIP directly from Vietnam where he was an in-country representative and teacher with Volunteers In Asia. Tony comes to AAPIP with extensive experience working in the Vietnamese American community and in Vietnam

AAPIP is pleased to welcome Noelle Ito, Director, Community Philanthropy. Noelle started with AAPIP on May 23, and has already made remarkable progress in reaching out to AAPIP’s growing network of giving circles across the country.

Alice Y. Hom, Director of Queer Justice Fund

On October 1979 in Washington DC, a number of “firsts” and historic moments happened—lesbian and gay Asian American activists formed a Gay Asian Collective at the Third World Lesbian and Gay conference that happened at the same time as the first March on Washington for Gay Rights. These historic moments organized by people who brought together their politics and the full gamut of their identities of gender, race, sexuality, and class helped build the foundation of queer people of color organizing, movement building, and coalition work.

Alice Y. Hom, Director, Queer Justice Fund

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender folks typically celebrate Pride Month with marches, parades, and celebrations and one of those celebrations took place on a hot and humid day of June 29 at the White House. As the Director of the Queer Justice Fund, I was invited to attend the LGBT Pride Month Policy Briefing and Reception.

Laila Mehta, Director, AAPIP Civic Engagement Fund

On July 14th, AAPIP was pleased to partner with Northern California Grantmakers in convening a special funders dialogue: 10 Years After 9/11: Dialogue on New Opportunities and Continuing Challenges in AMEMSA Communities.

Severe income inequality? An ever-widening gap between the nation’s wealthiest and it’s least, especially among immigrant and refugee communities? Is today’s notion of sacrifice, really ‘shared’? Is this any way to build and sustain a democracy?

And what is philanthropy doing to build the capacity of our communities to ask these questions and build solutions in today’s economy?

$1.25 per day. According to the World Bank, this is what defines “extreme poverty” – a condition that describes the lives of at least 1.4 billion people, globally.
And with the most severe income inequality in generations and a widening gap between the nation’s wealthiest and its least, especially among immigrant and refugee communities, is this how we build a democracy?

Kristin Aldana-Taday, Deputy Director of Donor Services for Liberty Hill Foundation

Two weeks ago, I headed to San Francisco for the weekend to co-represent one of Los Angeles’ three giving circles, The Circle of Change. It was a weekend that reinvigorated my commitment to social justice and helped me carve out a path toward action—a path not just for me to follow myself, but one I can travel as part of a larger community.

Allistair Mallillin, Development Associate for United South End Settlements and member of the Saffron Circle

Last weekend, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) convened giving circles from around the country in San Francisco. Being a relative newcomer to AAPIP, I thought I had signed up for a free weekend trip with amazing food, not knowing what kind of content would be in store. The quality of food surpassed expectations, but what really resonated was the quality of people.

In particular, two things really stuck out for me during the weekend.

Kent Wong, Director of UCLA Labor Center

The September 2011 convening in San Francisco was the first AAPIP gathering I had attended, and I was impressed by the spirit and scope of the work. I had the opportunity to bring three leaders of the Dream Act movement to present to the group, and they were so gratified to receive such a warm and supportive reception. It was especially meaningful for them to speak before a national gathering of Asian American community leaders, and to be welcomed by their own community.

Kala Shah, Co-chair of Lunar Giving Circle

In mid-September, AAPIP convened giving circle members and AAPIP leadership in one of the most powerful and motivating events I have ever had the pleasure of attending. I dedicated the majority of my weekend to spend with these fine people based upon my experience from the first national Giving Circle meeting last year, when I came to appreciate the value of bonding with other GC leaders from around the country over the greatness of grassroots giving.

Missed Opportunities provides a crisp, accessible topography of the issues and trends facing LGBTQ Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and offers pragmatic strategies. It is an invaluable resource for any funder committed to advancing equity in the United States.


– Daniel Lee, Executive Director, Levi Strauss Foundation

The first AAPIP Banyan Tree Award recipient is Alandra L. Washington, Deputy Director, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The award will be presented to Ms. Washington at the AAPIP Annual Membership Meeting in Los Angeles, California, on April 29, 2012, in conjunction with the 2012 Council on Foundations Conference.

Theo Yang Copley

It’s probably no surprise that there is a long-standing need for funding for organizations that support Asian American and Pacific Islander LGBTQ communities, but I was surprised by just how little funding these organizations get.

Join AAPIP (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy) for release of Emerging Opportunities: Giving and Participation by Silicon Valley Asian American Communities. Learn more about recent research on the motivation and inspiration that drives giving among the fast-growing Asian American community in the Silicon Valley.

Nageeb Sumar, MASALA (Mid-Atlantic South Asians Leveraging Assets) Giving Circle, Washington, DC

I was both informed and inspired by the 2012 Giving Circle convening in San Francisco on July 13 and 14, which brought together leaders from over 20 giving circles across the country.

Dana Heatherton, Asian American Giving Circle of Greater Houston



When I walked into the Welcome Dinner for AAPIP’s 3rd National Convening, strangers I had never met were cheering and hugging me. It can only be described as a wonderful combination of pep rally, family reunion, and blind date.

Cynthia Choi, Deputy Director, AAPIP

I first met Catherine Eusebio nearly a year ago when she spoke at an AAPIP convening in September 2011 which highlighted Asian American undocumented students. At that convening, alongside fellow DREAM students Ju Hong and David Cho, she spoke eloquently about her personal journey from being afraid, ashamed and angry, to becoming a powerful leader in the immigrant youth movement.

Timothy P. Silard, President, Rosenberg Foundation

Last month, dozens of youth and advocates gathered for a reception to welcome the Northern California participants of the 2012 Dream Summer program. Organized by the UCLA Labor Center and now in its second year, Dream Summer builds the capacity and leadership of Dream youth by connecting them to full-time internships with social justice and labor organizations like AAPIP, CHIRLA and Asian Law Caucus.

James Head, Vice President of Programs, The San Francisco Foundation



One of the best things about the work of a community foundation is our ability to be responsive to the needs of our community – to pull together partners, organizations, and leaders to address the issues of our time as they happen.

In the post-9/11 world, we recognized a need to do just that.

Laila Mehta, Director, Civic Engagement Fund

In philanthropy we know that story-telling is a critical way to illustrate impact. A new video — Post 9/11: The Impact of a Funder Collaborative – tells the tale of what we learned through the Civic Engagement Fund.

Peggy Saika, Executive Director

This latest report reveals how inadequate data conceals significant disparities in educational experiences and outcomes for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Noelle Ito, AAPIP Senior Director of Community Philanthropy


After a fire ravaged the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC), the community was left shocked and saddened. The thought of rebuilding was daunting but even worse was the idea of not having a place to celebrate the culture, history, and stories of Chinese Americans in the Midwest.

Kung Ko, a founding member of The Dinner Guys

Since joining AAPIP’s National Giving Circle Network, many people have asked who The Dinner Guys are. After making an impression by coming in as one of New York City’s top finishers in Bolder Giving’s first national Give OUT Day recently, we thought we’d dig a little deeper so we can get to know them.

“Building Democratic Philanthropy” is not only a part of AAPIP’s logo, it’s also a key approach to how we do our work. The Queer Justice Fund enacts that phrase by working with other funders and philanthropic partners to share information, best practices, and strategies for collaborative endeavors. One such example is a funder briefing that we held on February 6th in Minnesota.

Alex Wong, AAPIP Community Philanthropy Manager

When Kathy Im, Alice Lee-Osborne, and Serena Moy found out that less than 1% of all foundation dollars went to the AAPI community, they started to talk about ways to increase resources to the community. As young professionals working in philanthropy and as members of AAPIP’s Chicago chapter, they knew there was a need being overlooked and that a significant gap needed to be filled.

Almost everyone remembers what they were doing the morning of September 11, 2001, including Tessa Rouverol Callejo, the FAITHS Program and Civic Engagement Officer at The San Francisco Foundation.

You can learn and read about the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Court, and Washington DC in a classroom– but it’s different to see them in person. This spring, a group of 8th graders from Hilo will see firsthand just what that looks like. For many, it will be their first time on an airplane and the first time out of the State of Hawai’i.

Steve Li, former 2012 Dream Summer Intern and Catherine Eusebio, AAPIP Social Justice Fellow

It was one sunny day on September 15, 2010, and what I expected to be a typical school day turned out to be a day that changed my life. I was 20 years old when five officials dressed in black from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided my family’s San Francisco apartment. Once I stepped outside, I was handcuffed and shackled, about to spend the next 66 days incarcerated in a county jail and in a detention center in Arizona.

Alex W. Wong, Community Philanthropy Manager

Congratulations to Red Envelope Giving Circle in their first year of giving together, and for funding a collective $10,000 to Asian and Pacific Islander Family Pride, One Love Oceania, Queer Rebel Productions and The Dragon Fruit Project. To learn more about Red Envelope Giving Circle visit: www.red-envelope-giving-circle.org

Holy Vo, 2011 VIET Fellow

I spent a month in the countryside of Bình Minh before heading up to Sài Gòn to start the Viet Fellows program. On the first day, Tony asked us all, “Why are you here?” and met a room of silence. What a simple question, and yet, infinitely difficult to grasp. Why was I here?

Ly Ngo, 2011 VIET Fellow

Incomprehensible, inhumane, injustice. Those were some of the words that popped into my head as I listened to Thay Chau describing the conditions of St. Francis Shelter and the cold shoulder that the world has shown for these beautiful and loving children. Orphaned, disabled, disease-stricken – these are the shared conditions of the children. The children are so full of energy and life, yet some may never be able to experience the feeling of simply being able to walk or speak

Ai-Tram Bui, 2011 VIET Fellow

If there’s one person I won’t ever forget during my time in Vietnam, it’s Thủy. The first day I met her at Từ Dũ Hospital, she welcomed me with open arms. I can never forget her smile, a smile so generous and kind. I remember her asking me quizzical questions about America and about my life; although we had only met for a day, I felt as though I had known her from years ago.

Vincent Pan, Executive Director, Chinese for Affirmative Action When we consider change, our mindset is typically to reflect upon the past and then imagine a different future.  This is a …

Barbara Phillips

Moments of the day with the Minnesota NGEC fellowship organization’s kept poking at me. So when Peggy Saika shared that it is racism within philanthropy that led to the creation of AAPIP (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy), and while AAPIP never intended to be and is not a “funder” it seized the opportunity to create the space for the National Gender & Equity Campaign of which the OFP is a component.

Barbara Phillips



There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things.

Tawal Panyacosit, Executive Director of API Equality Northern California


When Alice Y. Hom, Director of the Queer Justice Fund, first mentioned that she was working on a report on funding disparities for LGBTQ AAPI communities, I was excited. I remember telling her it would become one of my bibles, my go-to resources on the LGBTQ AAPI community.

Simran Kaur, The Sikh Coalition


Consensus building is an incredibly powerful process in decision-making. When groups want strong support for a project, by all members, consensus building is not only beneficial but it is also impactful. Consensus building has a rich history and has been used by various communities, groups and political movements over time.

Steve Li, 2012 DREAM Summer Intern

Attending the 2012 NQAPIA conference was truly a privilege, being able to share a space with many individuals who identified themselves as LGBTQ API. Never have I seen so many come together from different generations to work for social change in the LQBTQ API community.

S. Nadia Hussain

Oftentimes, in activism, it can seem as if we are in isolated bubbles, fighting uphill battles that never end. In this cohort, I think we have seen that we are all a valuable piece of a larger puzzle, pieces that can come together for broader changes. ASATA as an organization feels empowered to know that we are part of a greater movement.

Cynthia Choi, Deputy Director

In September of this year, I had the privilege of attending the inaugural celebration event for the Rainbow Dragon Fund (RDF) the nation’s first giving circle by and for Queer Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and a member of AAPIP’s National Giving Circle network.

Noelle Ito, Community Philanthropy Director


Through AAPIP’s National Giving Circle Campaign, AAPI dreamers and doers have been rolling up their sleeves and pooling their funds to affect positive change. Year 2 of AAPIP’s 5-year campaign reflected this spirit as we saw an incredible year of growth, giving, and gratitude.

Catherine Eusebio, Social Justice Fellow

Dream Summer was one avenue where I could reclaim my agency. It’s the only national effort, led by and for undocumented young people that aims to build a generation of leaders of an inclusive, progressive movement. Through Dream Summer, I had the opportunity to learn and grow as an intern at AAPIP for ten weeks. I am not exaggerating when I say that summer was life-changing.

Hertz Alegrio, Queer Dream Summer Intern at API Equality Los Angeles

Summer may only be three months long, but a lot can happen during this spirited season… What I know for sure is that this summer has been life-changing for me and the 1.4 million young undocumented Americans who will benefit from Deferred Action.

Laila Mehta, Director, Civic Engagement Fund

At AAPIP we are recognized by many as convenors. As such, convenings are the hallmark of our work, and on July 18 and 19 the CEF cohort met to continue to share lessons learned and to delve into the political realities of AMEMSA immigrant and refugee rights issues. This work has been the cornerstone of CEF’s efforts to build capacity and collaborations in AMEMSA communities, and we’re beginning to see multiple outcomes, but these kinds of results come only with time and deep investment.

Catherine Eusebio, 2012 DREAM Summer Intern

A clashing of identities was a common theme from the participants of the conference. Many people expressed that they had to fully leave behind their ethnic or religious self because it was at odds with their queer identity. It was uplifting, however, to hear someone say, “We do this [social justice oriented] work to heal ourselves so that we no longer have to exist as fragmented people.”

Kathy Reich, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Thanks to all of you for inviting me to the CEF convening. I truly appreciated the opportunity to get to know you in a relaxed, candid, and open environment.

I learned (or re-learned) a few very valuable lessons from our time together.

Alice Y. Hom, Director, Queer Justice Fund

LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) AAPI (Asian American/Pacific Islander) people have always participated in diverse social justice movements but we have not always been openly gay and/or visible as racialized and gendered people in these movements.

In 1990, the number of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) on U.S. foundation staff had grown slightly but still represented a tiny fraction of people working in philanthropy. AAPIs working at …